Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-10-14
UNCLE SANS POSITION
ON THE INTERNATIONAL QUESTION
OF BEHRING'S SEA JURISDICTION.

Russia's Claim Endorsed on the Ground
Three-MiIe Limit Good Enough for Can
ada-A Mediterranean ParaIIeI-A. X.
Deiahey's Brief on the Subject.
NEW YORK, Oct 4.-An Ottawa special
TO The Herald says: The government here are
in receipt Of advices from Sitka which con-
tain the brief which is understood to have
been prepared in Washington recently and
filed in the court at Sitka by Mr.. A. K. De-
laney, as counsel for the United States in the
seal-hsheries dispute. Mr. Delaney takes the
position that Behring sea is not portion of
the open or high sea, but is an inland water
cut off from the ocean and essentially land
locked. He says:
Concerning the doctrine of international
law establishing what is known as the marine
league belt, which extends the Jurisdiction of
nation into adjacent seas for the distance
of one marine league, or three miles from its
shores, and following all the lamentations
and sinuosities of its coast, there is at this
day no room for discussion 1t must be ac-
cepted as the settled law of nations 1t is
sustained by the highest authorities, law
by the United States since the foundation of
the government
well grounded as is this doctrine of the
law of nations, it is no more firmly establish
ed as part of the international code than
that other principle which gives to nation
supremacy, jurisdiction, dominion over its
own inland waters, CULTS, bays, and seas. II
a sea is entirely inclosed by the territories of
a nation, and has no other mmunication
with the ocean than by channel of which
that nation may take possession, it appears
that such a sea is no less capable
of being occupied and becoming prop
erty than the land, and it ought to follow
the fate OF the country that .suiresnds It,
The Mediterranean in former times was alb
solutely inclosed within the territories of the
Romans, and those people, w rendering
themselves master of the strait Which joins it
to the ocean, might subject the MedIterra-
mean to their empire and assume the domin-
ion over it. They did not by such proceed
ing injure the rights of other nations, par
ticular sea being manifestly designed 10y ma
ture for the use of the countries and nations
that surround it."
Mr. Delaney then makes numerous refer
ences to prove that Russia always asserted
that Behring sea was an inland water, aud
that the United States has always maintained
the same position since she acquired title
The brief then goes on to state how Russas
title was based on discovery aud settlement"
and how the United States acquired its title "
The treaty between the United States and
Russia as germane to the questions involved
in the case is quoted in full. In conclusion
Mr. Delaney says:
The foregoing record may convey but a
meager idea of the indomitable energy and
perseverance displayed by the Russian peo-
pie in acquiring empire in North America
beginning with the discoveries of Behring in
1923 and extending for more than century
and quarter, wherein they braved the per-
lis of land and sea, oyercame savage native
population, faced ice and snow, storm and
shipwreck, to found and maintain empire on
these rugged shores Enough has been said to
disclose the base of Russia's right to iurisdic-
ton of the Behring sea under the law of ma
TONS viz. original possession of the Asiatic
coast, followed by discovery and possession
of the Aleutan chain aud the shores of Alas
ka north, not only to Behring strait, but to
Point Barraw and the frozen ocean. thus in
closing within its territory, as within the
embrace of a mighty giant, the islands and
waters of Behring sea, and with this the asser-
ton and exercise of dominion over land and
sea-
"Such is our understanding of the law, such
is the record
Upon them the United States are prepared
to abide the judgments of the courts and the
opinion of the civilized world